Grades are important, but they are not everything and I feel that sentiment, this past semester, to be truer than ever. (Yes, I am going to define my life right now in the timing of semesters because I am a student and that makes the most sense). Mom and Dad if you're reading this, my grades are good, don't worry, but I feel my growth in other aspects of my life to be more pertinent. Why this semester? Why have I felt this way about this semester and not any other semester in my school career? Here's why: I am finally happy with who I am and confident in the good I can be.
These feelings have come over me for many reasons. Firstly, I have been through many downs, but I have fought through every single one of them. A few months ago, back in January, I had a really bad mental health episode and the difference with this one, is that I didn't have the comfort of my home or my parents to help me through this really tough time. I had to find the strength in myself, my faith, and I had to take the circumstances into my own hands. That specific road to recovery was one I am proud of because I did it mostly alone.
Another reason I feel this semester has sparked so much growth is because I have finally, emphasis on finally, been able to remove myself from the company of toxic people and surround myself with people that bring out the best in me. This journey has not been easy. Distancing myself from individuals has caused me to feel guilty as well as anxiety, but after a few months of surrounding myself with good, I have found peace in it.
College is not what I thought it would be, and I think that is another reason I am so proud of my progression. Not everyone's college experience is going to be the same. My idea of college mostly came from what I heard of my brother's experience. There are so many reasons our college lives are different. These are he is a guy (it's just different), we are interested in completely different things (he loves history, politics, world wars and I like entertainment media and writing), his school is 4 times the size of mine (his huge state school versus my private catholic university is what we are talking about here) and he is very involved with Greek Life (not my cup of tea). I had to adjust my thoughts to what I thought my freshman year would be like, to what it actually is, and this took time.
In conclusion, I have grown academically and again mom and dad, my grades are good but that's not what I am most proud of. I encourage you, the reader, to reflect on your past year no matter where you are in life and decide what this year has truly meant to you.
